In the past, there has been a need for an inexpensive and effective way of forming a rechargeable manganese dioxide cathode by a physical mixing of compounds without a complex chemical process. There has also been a need for a rechargeable cathode that is rendered gradually and eventually substantially rechargeable in situ by subjecting the cathode to successive discharge/charge cycles. Furthermore, there has been a need for a manganese dioxide cathode that substantially increases the total capacity of the cathode by a factor of two, that is from the 1-electron to 2 -electron reaction capacity.
In addition, there has also been a need for a cathode that increases the energy density to cost ratio and that allows manganese dioxide battery systems to be operated at relatively higher power loads than existing forms of cathode.